That really didn't take long. SI's Richard Deitsch reports that Ray Lewis's next career will be up in Bristol. ESPN's Monday Night Countdown is where we'll likely see the most of him. And how did ESPN swallow up Lewis so fast? ESPN had a built-in advantage over any other network that wanted to make a play for him. Valuable Monday real estate. Here's why:

One of Lewis' main requirements, according to sources, was flexibility in his schedule so he could attend the games of his son, Ray Lewis III, who will be a freshman running back/defensive back next season at his father's alma mater, the University of Miami. Such scheduling made Lewis an unlikely fit for a full-time role on the Sunday morning shows aired by CBS or Fox where he'd be required to be part of pre-show meetings on either Saturday or early Sunday. There is a possibility Lewis could work for ESPN on some Sundays depending on his travel. Given his star power, it's very likely Lewis would have a role on ESPN's multiple-day coverage of April's NFL draft.

Here's guessing the C'mon Man segment will be 100 times more entertaining to watch.